KEEPING RESOLUTIONS: 2017

So, it’s January! The end of January actually, so I suppose it may seem a bit odd that I’m making a post about resolutions now. To be honest, it’s partly because I was procrastinating on finishing my last post (not surprising), but also because I was curious to see just how well I’d be sticking to my promised resolutions by this point. Rather than just boasting about the things I intended to do, I figured I could wait a bit and see if I actually started doing any of them. (Which I have! No, I’m not lying.)

{1} Procrastinate less.
As mentioned above, I have a slight procrastination problem (read as: it’s rather severe). This month, however, I have started making an effort to regularly put my assigned tasks before other things that I might feel like doing in the moment. For example, right now I’m focusing on writing this post rather than binge watching YouTube videos until I fall asleep, laptop still on my stomach. This is a true change of routine.

{2} Put more effort into maintaining friendships.
So, I’m pretty bad at this; I really am. I’m sure there’s someone out there reading this right now, nodding their head “yes” and feeling slighted that I no longer talk to them regularly. They wouldn’t be wrong in doing so either, as I am absolute rubbish at keeping in touch with people. The thing is, it’s not that I can’t be bothered or that I’m not interested in what they’re up to, but more that I’m just really, really shy about starting conversations. I’m not sure why I always feel so hesitant to just ask someone how they’re doing, but I’m now trying to be the one who reaches out rather than always waiting on someone else to speak first. Hopefully this will help me to not only dust off some forgotten friendships, but to also make (and keep!) new ones.

{3} Continue traveling.Just like I have for the past few years, I’d like to make sure 2017 is full of frequent explorations and adventures. I’d also like to vacation to new locations more often, rather than traveling back to the same spots again and again. (Japan is always an exception to this, so don’t tempt me; I would get on a plane right now.) As some of you know, I’ve already taken a trip to the Bahamas this month, so I think I’m doing fairly well on this one. I’m also planning on vacationing to California for the first time in September and I can’t even express how excited I am to finally see the redwoods! ? ⛺️

{4} Get a tattoo.
Not much to say here other than I really do want one and need to go ahead and take the plunge. Actually, I very recently made a pinky promise regarding this topic, so there’s absolutely no dodging it now. (The repercussions of breaking said pinky promise are quite distasteful.)

{5} Make an effort every single day.Not to sound like a complete mess, but I’ve never been the best at getting up early, styling my hair, or putting together an outfit devoid of wrinkles. Most mornings, I place more importance upon getting coffee than getting ready. In 2017, however, I thought it would be nice (for myself, as well as others) to wake up each day and actually try. I’m proud to say that as of right now, I have successfully given myself enough time to look presentable every day this month. (Yes, here is where you applaud me for just showering on a regular basis. It’s a big deal.)

Also, I’d like to mention that by actually trying to make myself look somewhat nice every day, I’ve found that I feel a lot better on the inside too. If you’re someone with mediocre self-esteem like me, try brushing your hair occasionally. Or maybe change out of that pizza-stained sweater? It does wonders!

{6} Studierò italiano e giapponese ogni giorno, come facevo.
A couple of years ago, I was making a lot of progress with both languages and setting aside time to study them on a daily basis. I was honestly impressed with how much I was learning and genuinely excited every time I found myself able to read something new. While I still remember a good chunk what I learned, I have let my study habits slip to basically nonexistent levels since then. This resolution also seems to be the one I’m struggling with the most. Since the 1st, I’ve probably only picked up my textbooks about 3-4 times. Can someone please start harassing me about this? Can you all just start speaking to me in only foreign languages? Thanks.

Fingers crossed that I can look back on this post in December and feel proud and accomplished! This is actually the first year that I’ve bothered making resolutions and I think it’s really something that works for me. Of course, I say this when I’m only 4 weeks in, but so far, so good! What about you?